My Vanitas
by Flying By Wire
Summary: "His pale fingers slid across the dried canvas. 'This one will always be my favorite,' I could tell he was smirking once again. 'When you painted me. Created me.'" "This man. No- this thing, this monster. He is my vanitas." RokuNami, also please help me figure out the genre if this isn't right. And I suck at summaries, yay.
1. Beginning of the End

**Ok people, I'm still working on my other story Rite Of Passage while I'm doing this one too, I'm sorry I haven't posted anything in for-freaking-ever, but there's just been way too much going on...don't ask unless you want an annoyingly long story.**

**But don't worry! I haven't abandoned Rite Of Passage, it's just taking me a while, but I do have Ch. 9 started, so it's only a matter of time.**

**Ok so... I got the idea for this from my art textbook, apparently vanitas is an actual word, it's an art term for "an artwork that serves to remind us of death", cool but scary, right?**

**Anyway, I got the idea for this story from that, so here's the first chapter, and I'll probably continue it regardless of what some readersmighht say so meh.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

**KH: My Vanitas**

**Chapter 1**

**Beginning of the End**

Golden eyes gleamed with amusement as they watched me scrubbing furiously with a towel. I could feel his gaze burning a gaping hole through my body. So, hoping it would turn away, if only for a moment, I scrubbed as fast as I could- my hand gripping the towel becoming a blur of motion against my arm.

I could hear his chuckles bounce off the walls when a trickle of blood drew a path down my now searing arm.

"You're a fool."

I turned toward him with a glare, but that still did nothing to lessen his amusement.

"And why is that? You're the one who presses me to do it." I raised my bloody arm to make my point and he shrugged.

"But what person leaves ugly splotches for scars when they could leave the clean, straight ones instead?"

"The person who's afraid of knives but not towels. Besides, if they were the lines from knives, people would know what they were right away." I muttered, beginning to wrap the burns with an old shirt lying on the floor.

His pale hand grabbed my wrist and I flinched from his strong grip. "Don't bandage it, let it breathe." He looked at me as if daring me to disobey him as I once tried before. He ripped the shirt from my arm, making sure it skidded across the burns as he did and I bit my lip.

"What? Not even going to whimper? What a shame," He sighed and plopped on the couch in the corner.

I kept my eyes downcast as he threw the shirt somewhere far away. I noticed the window letting the sunlight through made the white tiles gleam like snow on a beautiful winter morning. Everything in this room was white. The walls, the furniture, even most of my clothes. The only things with some color were my art supplies scattered about the room, the blood still trickling down my arm, my blonde hair falling in my eyes silently, my now dimmed cerulean eyes, and _him_.

"Can I at least wipe the blood off?" I asked softly with a glare.

"Go ahead."

I got up and hurried over to the bathroom down the hall and turned the faucet on the sink, letting the water run freely against my burns. Water was supposed to feel soothing against injuries, right? Scratch that, doesn't feel so 'soothing' against burns, I guess.

At this point, you're probably a little bit more than lost.

My name is Namine Forgrove. I'm 20 years old, living by myself- in a sense- and I'm an artist. Somehow it pays surprisingly well; people would pay for my work back and forth every time the gallery I worked for hosted an auction.

Although… I haven't gone in as much as I'd like to lately.

I turned the water faucet and carefully dried off arm as best I could without irritating the burns any further. Opening the cabinet underneath, I pulled out a small spray bottle of disinfectant. While it may not do much right now, it's the best I can do at the moment. Spraying the wound and wincing each time it made contact, I put the bottle back and dried my arm again and stepped out.

The golden eyes were watching me again when I came back, though he seemed distracted by something. He stood and went to the corner of the room where _that_ painting still stood on an easel separated from everything else.

The painting was probably the darkest thing I've ever done, and ever will do again. A cemetery filled the canvas with a dark mist enveloping half the scenery, a skeleton with bits of skin still clinging to its bones stood in front of one of the graves.

His pale fingers slid across the dried canvas. "This one will always be my favorite," I could tell he was smirking once again. "When you painted me. Created me."

He came towards me, his spiky black locks bouncing ever so slightly with every step. He lightly wrapped his hands around my waist. I'm sure for most girls- this would make them swoon with pleasure. But not me, not for him.

"And no matter what you do, I'll always be here. We cannot be damaged. But you, Namine," He moved his hand to brush my bangs out of my face and I shivered. "I'll always exist to create your damage." He grabbed my arm where the burns were, but I couldn't hide the pain this time; he smirked again.

After a few moments he let go of me and strode around the room slowly and aimlessly.

"I never wanted to create you," I growled and he scoffed. "I just want you gone."

"Yeah, I know," He faced me when he stood by the painting again. "But you can't get rid of me either. Face it, Namine, you're fated to be stuck with me forever."

One thing I should explain first. You see, I have this one ability. One that I now wish I never had. Some things I paint, draw, sculpt, you name it; they manifest themselves into living, breathing beings. I've never had any control over it, no matter how hard I tried; it manifests things whenever it wants. And he is one of them.

This man. No- this _thing_, this monster.

He is my vanitas.

* * *

My vanitas has been following me for the past year, so I've grown accustomed to refer to him by that name. Vanitas.

Ever since he manifested, he's been doing whatever he can to keep himself amused at my expense. Hence the scars, since he likes to me in pain. If I don't do as he says, he'll take control and make the injuries even worse than I ever could. These times when I fought back have sent me to the hospital on more than one occasion, so I don't bother anymore.

Luckily, he stays at home, but only plaguing my mind every so often just to annoy me at work or when I'm running errands.

It's like there's some spell on that painting, if I touch it my hands begin searing with mystic burns and pain shoots up my arms and I'm flung back, away from the work. I've tried throwing it away by grabbing it with giant pliers so I myself wouldn't be touching it. But when I came home later that day, there it was- resting on its easel like a curse.

Perhaps Vanitas' manifestation has to do with my client that requested the painting. He seemed normal enough, just a college professor that taught at a med school. But just before I finished the commission, the professor died. I should've stopped as soon as I heard the news, but me being the perfectionist fool I was- I finished it anyway.

How stupid I was…

* * *

"Good morning! How may I help you?"

"Just a hot mocha, please. No whip."

"Aw, are you sure? The whip is what most of the people love anyway." The cashier poorly attempted to persuade me made Vanitas next to me scoff.

"What a moron. If she thinks an upsell like that is going to work than she's the worst employee ever." I growled under my breath at him and the cashier flinched.

"U-Um, never mind. Here's your total. Your mocha will be ready momentarily." She punched in the numbers on the cash register and I handed her the requested amount and headed away from the growing line.

"Do you have to be such a prick all the time?" I sighed, earning a few glares from people I passed on the way.

Vanitas just laughed. "Please, it's not like she can see me. You're the one she heard growl at her."

I sighed and took my steaming, hot mocha off the shelf, taking off the lid in an attempt to cool it off a bit so I wouldn't scorch my tongue off like I do every other time. Stepping back into the cold, winter air, I wrapped my scarf a little tighter around my neck and slipped the lid back on my favorite caffeinated drink.

I turned to find Vanitas had decided to disappear again for the day.

It's true; no one else can see my manifestations but me. No one can feel the icy touch of his pale hands. No one can see his demonic, golden eyes. So, naturally, no one would hear his insults either.

I passed a small park bench and decided to sit and do a few quick sketches of the scenery, seeing as I didn't have to get to work for another hour. I made myself as comfortable as I could on the hard and damp wooden bench, setting the still steaming mocha aside as I pulled my sketchbook and some graphite with an eraser from my tote bag and set the bag next to me. Taking another sip and letting the chocolaty scent fill my nostrils as I scanned the park for some inspiration.

Several little details caught my eye- an elderly couple on a bench across the park, two white and chocolate Labradors sleeping over each other peacefully, some of the different types of flowers or arrangements of trees. Deciding on one of them, I let my hand be guided by the graphite moving swiftly and smoothly across the paper.

I was too lost in my world of pencils and mocha to see someone stand a foot away in front of me.

"Hey." The voice asked; it was a smooth, melodic male voice. His tone of annoyance shook me from my happy place and I looked up at the boy.

The most noticeable traits were his bright, brilliant blue eyes and strangely spiked blonde hair. He was averagely toned and yet still very slim, he also a thick, black and white checkered jacket with a red collar and an x-shaped silver necklace and a large canvas messenger bag draped across his shoulder. He was looking at me like I'd taken the last cookie from the cookie jar.

"Um, excuse me?" I started, curious as to why this boy was breaking my focus. He frowned at me.

"You're in my seat," He pointed at the bench I sat on and I looked at him incredulously.

"'Your seat'? It's a public park, I can sit where ever I damn well please." I shot him a glare through my tired eyes.

"Ooh, am I sensing some anger from my dear little toy?" Vanitas' voice echoed from my mind and next thing I knew, he was standing beside the boy with a grin on his face.

I sighed heavily; I wanted to fight for my freedom to sit where I pleased, but I didn't want Vanitas breathing down my neck the whole way through.

Not wanted to deal with two annoying men, I stood from my seat and gathered my things. "Fine, whatever." I muttered, grabbing my mocha off the bench and walking away.

The boy then grabbed me by the wrist- I flinched as his grip tightened around my fresh wound under my sweater. "Hey, wait a-" He stopped short and let out a gasp when something seemed to flash across his vision and he jerked back.

Vanitas let out a cry of pain and he fizzed slightly like data corruption pixelating the image. He shot a dangerous glare at the boy before me.

We stared at each other with certain shock and confusion, both thinking the same question. "What…"

My Vanitas forced cold chills to run throughout my body to remind me of existence. "Shouldn't you be getting to work now, little Nami?" He growled.

I shook my head and hurried away from the boy as quickly as I could before Vanitas could try anything. Glancing back at the blonde still staring at me then his hand as if we were foreign, a constant thought spun around my skull.

What was that?

* * *

I shuddered as I stepped through the sliding automatic doors into the art studio. The one thing I hated about winter was the numbness it gave my fingers no matter if I'm holding my favorite warm caffeinated drink or not. Although that wasn't the only coldness in the air.

Ever since our run-in with that irritable blonde boy before, Vanitas hadn't said one word; in fact, he was seething the whole way. Whatever happened when that blonde touched me, really had Vanitas angry.

Well, like _that_ was anything new.

"Well if it isn't Twilight Town's favorite little blonde artist. Right on time as always, Namine."

I turned with a smile at the welcoming voice belonging. "Morning Pence, how's it going?"

Pence was a photographer- and a fantastic one at that. He was a little on the chubby side, but not too much, and had dark hair held up by his headband and looked somewhat like a palm tree at that point.

"I was going to go get some shots from the clock tower soon, wanna come with?" The dark-haired boy suggested as he stretched.

I shook my head. "No thanks, I have some projects here still." Pence frowned slightly.

"You sure? You always used to come along. Is everything okay? You've been… I dunno, distant? Something like that."

For a moment I actually considered telling the poor oblivious photographer about my haunting vanitas. But then the temperature-lowering chilling emanating from my creation's growing anger made me bite my lip.

Shaking my head again, I waved Pence's concern off. "N-No, there's nothing going on, really. I've just gotten more ideas and inspiration than normal and I wanted to get them all down.

"Hm, well okay, if you say so. I'm heading out," He said, obviously not fully convinced but thankfully didn't press on as he gathered his equipment. "See you later Nami!"

I inwardly flinched at that nickname; it was after all the one that Vanitas favored.

Pence was right though, things have changed since Vanitas came into being. He's changed many things about me in the past year as well- things my coworkers seem to notice as time goes by. They try to help me, but I always turn them down.

Vanitas has changed me too much- my personality for one, I was once happy and outgoing and occasionally even loud, but now I'm introverted and quietly raging. He controls my sleep, as I haven't had a good night's sleep since he was manifested- and he plagues my sleep with vicious nightmares, hence the bags under my eyes as well. And then there's my eating habits, for the first two months of Vanitas' creation, I was unable to eat for fear he may have done something to my food, therefore I would only eat things my coworkers shared with me or what I got from fast food restaurants. This made me skinnier and my clothes hang loosely from my shrinking frame.

The ones who cared were concerned, but I can't get rid of Vanitas no matter what I try.

I set my bag on my desk after scooting my chair towards an open canvas and taking my sketchbook along with me. I had begun drawing the outline of the elderly couple I had drawn from the park when the studio's director made her entrance.

"Good morning all. Everyone please stop whatever it is you're doing for just a moment, please." She said politely but still loud enough for us all to hear.

The most noticeable thing about her is her vibrant blue hair that only spiked in a few areas. Her name is Aqua Gainsborough, she's married to Terra Gainsborough- who was adopted- and his sister Aerith actually works here as well. Anyway, along with Aqua's blue hair that stopped just past her neck, she has beautiful blue eyes to match. Now, being our director, she's able to assist us in any of our works- no matter the medium we're using. Although she doesn't specialize in one specific medium, she still dabbles in just about everything.

Mrs. Gainsborough stepped aside to allow someone to pass to the front and I nearly dropped my pencil. That head of blonde hair… It was the boy who bugged me in the park!

"We have a newcomer in our midst starting today, he's an especially skilled painter as well. Say hello to Roxas Strife."

* * *

**So what do you think so far? Good? Bad? Eh don't even bother sdjrskdfkfg?**

**I like to think as Namine being somewhat- well probably a bit more- like myself. Both being artists of many mediums(as most people do for her, too bad in KH she only does weird crayon drawings that are still awesome in their own way), both a little bit more than troubled at most times, that, and my mom thinks I look like her(whut?). So I tend to portray her a bit more like myself(hence the mochas, and other things here and there). Trust me on the mom thing though, it's weird, if you see a pic of me you might think she was crazy? idk, depends on your point of view I guess.**

**Anyway, please review, and to those of you who are reading Rite Of Passage, I'm working on it when I can, I swear!**

**Bye nii(meh)**


	2. The Warning

**FINALLY got chapter 2 up! Took me long enough ey? sorry about that**

**I've been annoyingly busy and filled with writer's block, except for my new Jack Frost(Rise of the Guardians) fic that just seems to flow so easily...ugh**

**Sorry, I'll stop now, enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**The Warning**

I heard Vanitas behind me fall off the edge of my desk from pure shock. Honestly I would've laughed could he had actually been seen by people other than myself. That and I think he'd haunt me even more just for letting out a chuckle.

The blonde now known as Roxas shot me an irritated look that clearly said "What the hell are you doing here?" I merely rolled my eyes when Mrs. Gainsborough wasn't looking.

He went about his own business after she gave him a desk and a nameplate while I was attempting to ignore my vanitas' cold breath down my neck.

"Will you cut that out already?" I whispered to the walking death, all he did was smile and I felt one of those anger vein-things popping on my forehead.

"All I'm doing is observing. Is that so wrong?" Gods, I _hated_ it when he acted innocent. I just sighed.

"Well it is when it's you." I began to fill my paint pallet when I heard a grunt and paused.

Roxas was standing at the foot of my desk with his arms crossed. Great, now what? I set my paints down and faced him.

"Can I help you?" I sarcastically began.

"Why are you here?"

"Uh, well I do kinda _work_ here, for one. Why? Plan on taking my desk now too?"

Roxas sighed. "Whatever. You got any extra paint?"

I raised a brow. "I guess so. But why should I lend _my_ paints to _you_?"

"Look if you're gonna get bitchy about it, I'll ask someone else. Whatever."

An exacto knife seemed to dart off my desk and landed blade-first right where Roxas' foot had been moments before.

"If you could've just kept that brat there a bit longer…" Vanitas muttered irritably. I glared at those cursed yellow eyes from over my shoulder.

"And what? Let you have your way and get rid of a new employee?" He just shrugged.

"Of course. He's nothing but interference, after all," He leaned back on the desk, his eyes seeming to cast a flash of anger. "And interference needs to gotten rid of."

* * *

The walk home that night was a quiet one with Vanitas having gone back into his canvas for the time being. Whenever he wasn't bothering me, he'd go back into whatever world rests inside the painting that created him.

What he had said before was still swarming my mind. Interference? Like when a TV gets static or something? How is Roxas interference? But…

"There's definitely something about him that affects Vanitas. But what could it be…?" I trailed off in thought, remembering the sparking sensation of when Roxas touched my shoulder and that flash of pain across Vanitas' features. That's never happened with anyone else before, so why is Roxas so different?

I could do nothing but sigh in frustration as I swung open the door and laid my coat and scarf on the hooks by the door.

"Frustrated about something my little Fearling?" Vanitas' voice rang like Hell's bells throughout my home. I raised a brow at him.

"Fearling?" He shook his head at me.

"Never mind that. So what's the issue?" he asked, trying to appear innocent and not like the death in the hidden canvas. I shook my head in turn.

"'It's nothing, just some drawing ideas."

He was on me in moments and sent me sliding to the ground as he pinned me to the tiled floor with his arms and legs. I stared at him hatefully, hoping to hide my fear. He leaned down close to my face, his golden eyes gleaming with hatred.

"Those 'drawing ideas' wouldn't happen to be about that new blonde brat at your work, now would they?" I widened my eyes at him and he frowned. "I thought so, if you even think about getting any closer with that prick, I'll make sure you never walk out that front door again." He grinned evilly at the thoughts swimming through his head of what he could do to me. I gulped and turned my head away when he got in close and nipped at my neck.

"Are we clear, little Nami?" He tightened his grip on my arms; a strangled cry escaped my lips for fear he'd break my wrists- or worse. I nodded silently and he finally let me go after letting out a small laugh.

"Good." He stepped away, back into the canvas he called home.

I couldn't help but cough slightly and curl up into a fetal position when I reached my bed, not even bothering changing my clothes or getting under the covers. I hated this, I hated that monster that won't leave me be. I cried silently into the night until they stopped and I let sleep consume me.

* * *

In times like this, a shower feels like what some would call heavenly light.

The steam and water seemed to ease the bruises on my wrists caused by Vanitas the night before. Whatever got him so angry…? I hope he wouldn't do it again. At least not soon, knowing him.

My mind wandered back to my new blonde coworker, Roxas, and I frowned. "Why does he hate him so much?" I sighed and turned off the water and got ready for work.

* * *

"Hey Blondie."

Was I supposed to actually respond to that? I shrugged it off and continued to smear the paint across the canvas before me.

A sigh. "Crazy girl who talks to herself?"

I felt myself flinch at that one. Great, he saw me talking to Vanitas- well not _really_, but still- and not I've been dubbed crazy.

I mustered all my control to keep my brush steady and not snap it in a fit of rage when I could tell Roxas was still here. He grunted and shuffled his feet and I sighed heavily, placing my brush in a cup of water.

"First of all, I'm not crazy, and for Pete's sake, you're blonde too if you haven't noticed!" I gestured to his blonde hair and he frowned. "And second, my name is Namine. You'd know that already if you actually had the good manners necessary for a conversation. Now what do you want?"

"I came to apologize."

I must've been making a strange face because then Roxas cleared his throat and looked away as if to keep from laughing.

"S-Say what? Why?" I cursed myself for stuttering. I could hear Vanitas in the corner seething in anger and muttering what could've been his version of chants and curses that would never work.

"For being… Well, a prick yesterday." I frowned when Vanitas decided to chuckled at his own term for the boy being used by himself of all people.

I stood shocked for a moment. This guy didn't seem like the type to just up and apologize out of nowhere and just insult himself on the spot. I composed myself as best I could.

I switched my palette to my less dominant hand and reached on top of my easel for some brushes I placed on top. "Well that's real nice of you and all, but trust me, you don't have to bother apologizing to-" I flinched when he grabbed my wrist in a flash, he seemed to ignore the actual flash that followed as Vanitas yelped in pain and fell out of his chair.

"What is this from?" he asked- well more like demanded. I followed his gaze to my arm where the sleeve had pulled up, one of the bruises Vanitas gave me last night were showing. I gulped nervously. _Uh oh._

The blonde just shook my wrist in his grip and didn't bother softening when I winced.

"What _happened?_"

I jerked away from him with a yelp in what felt like fear and anger. I didn't want Vanitas to think this was me and Roxas attempting at making friends with each other.

"Why the hell do you care?! Just go away alright, I don't need your apology _or_ your sympathy." We were lucky not many people seemed to be paying attention and that Mrs. Gainsborough wasn't in the room or else we'd never head the end of it.

I didn't bother looking at Roxas as he sighed heavily and stomped away.

I didn't care if still looked at me or not, I set my paints down with what little control I had left in my shaking hands. I kept them steady by grasping the easel as tightly as I could without pushing down on the contraption, the only shaking being in my shoulders and tears threatening to fall from my sapphire eyes.

"He's not supposed to care…" I breathed. Vanitas stood beside me with his arms crossed.

I could barely make out the blonde head a few yards away as my dark-haired reminder of death took an exacto knife to the back of my hand and let the blade slide swiftly across my skin as the red flowers of blood seeped out of the wound.

* * *

**Roxas**

I couldn't help but stare in confusion from a distance as Namine walked away from her work, a freshly bleeding cut on the back of her hand. She was hurrying to the restroom to hopefully clean it and get a band aid on.

There were tears brimming her eyes, I wasn't sure if I should feel bad for scaring her or just being downright annoyed at what a drama queen that blonde brat was.

I went to return to my own work and sighed as I let the paintbrush guide me along.

Suddenly an unbearably heavy pressure came upon me and I kept myself from dropping the brush as the pressure became more intense as time passed. My eyes darted back and forth to fid those around me were unaffected- no one else was feeling this?! How?!

It soon became hard to breathe and I dropped my brush in the water and I squeezed my eyes tightly, inwardly praying that the feeling would go away soon. My hands struggled with the great force to grasp my throat in hopes of breathing once more. My eyes almost numbly glanced down to find my hands shaking uncontrollably.

What's happening?!

With a jolt of movement my hands grasped my hair and I held my head tightly to ease an oncoming headache. Then, a breeze slowly made its way around me; it was cold- _deathly_ cold.

"_Stay away…"_ I felt cold hands like claws gripping my neck as a warning of what this _thing_ might do if I went against its wishes.

And just like that, the pressure dissipated in a flash. I felt myself drop to my knees as I gasped for air with my own warm hands around my neck. A nearby coworker noticed this and came to my side and asking if I was okay.

I nodded numbly and noticed that Namine suddenly came back into the room, wiping her eyes with a bandaged hand and she went back to work. She shot me a fearful glance- a _knowing_ glance- and darted away after glaring at something behind her.

My eyes followed her as my breathing slowed to a normal pace.

Was it her doing?

* * *

**In case some don't get it, the last part was Roxas' point of view...but I doubt there's anyone who won't get it so we're good.**

**Sorry it's shorter than the previous chapter, I just had to get this down right away as soon as I figured it all out- for now anyway.**

**Btw for those of you who are reading my story Rite of Passage, yeah uh...don't be expecting anything more from that...I kinda lost motivation and have n idea where the fuck I was going with that one, so I'm probably just gonna delete it or something, sorry.**

**Please review BEFORE you fave/follow! I can't stress enough how annoyed I get when people don't say anything after they do everything but talk to me.**

**Anyway, since I KNOW I won't be on again before Christmas, happy holidays, merry christmas and all that jazz. Onto my Frost fic!**


	3. Children of the Darkness

**Short? yes.**

**Pointless filler? NOPE.**

**Oh! And I changed the genre to suspense/hurt and comfort so...please tell me if that makes better sense or something! Someone told me it's more thriller or whatever but I can't remember who it was! Help me out here!**

**Alright, enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**Children of the Darkness**

"What did you do, Vanitas?"

"All I did was fire a little warning at the brat. As long as he doesn't try to mess with my toy, he'll be fine." His golden eyes seem to burn into the back of my head as I sat painting, dabbing my brush in blue before smearing it strategically across the canvas.

Nearly everyone else had left by now, so in this room alone- I'm the only one still working so I don't have to worry about anyone seeing me talking to the invisible death.

I fought back the urge to flinch and slap his hand away when I felt its deathly cold touch on my shoulder.

"That looks just beautiful, Nami," I couldn't tell if Vanitas was being sarcastic or not. "But," He reached a finger to the corner of the canvas and touched it. "I think it'd look more beautiful with a little… Darkness."

Suddenly dark tendrils seemed to leak out of his touch- like an oily, drying paint- and the whole canvas started changing with a flipping tile-like motion all across the canvas. My ocean blue paint was now warped into a blood red and dripped horridly down the increasingly dark picture. My eyes widened when the blackness began to take form.

A small hand reached out of the darkness, groping around as if looking for something… Or someone. A sickeningly cracking grinned made its way to Vanitas' features and he reached out to hand and held it in his own caringly. The mysterious limb seemed to flinch at his action and he shushed as a calming gesture.

"There, there little one… It's only me," He smiled as the hand relaxed and grasped his reassuringly. "Will you come out a little more please?"

As if obeying its master, a light seam appeared on the canvas and opened up into a bright, bloodshot eye looking about frantically. Distasteful acidic bile threatened to rise from my throat and I covered my mouth in hopes of halting the feeling.

Vanitas seemed to notice this and grinned at me. "See her, little one?" He looked to the eye and gestured to me. "She's your sister."

The palette and brush crashed to the floor out of my violently shaking hands. "What…?" I breathed; the eye steadily began to bleed at the rim like it was crying. It and the arm shrunk back inside and slowly emerged anew… Only with two arms now and… A face.

_My_ face.

Her- it's- eyes were blank, crying streams of blood with an open, black mouth. Its deathly pale arms reaching toward me as if hoping to pull me into its home of darkness.

"Sister… Sister…" Its voice didn't seem like its own, more like it was made up of several different voices saying things simultaneously. Too shocked to move, its arms stretched around me and clasped together and steadily began to pull me back- just as I thought.

Thankfully my reflexes finally kicked in- I didn't bother fighting back the shriek that broke through my throat and shoved my fists in my copy's face. It faded away like when Vanitas seemed to glitch out and I ended up punching through the canvas itself, though the darkness inside the canvas stuck anyway.

I paused, staring at the hole and cautiously retracting my hand. I felt myself sweating profusely, but I didn't bother wiping it away.

"What just…" I was broken from my thoughts when I heard a rapidly growing fit of laughter from Vanitas who did his best not to start rolling on the floor.

"What did you do?" I growled. He just kept on laughing. "What the fuck did you just do Vanitas?! What was that… that thing?!" I flung a hand at the still dark and dead canvas on my desk and the vanitas finally calmed down enough to speak.

"She was just a painted version of you, idiot! Nothing was going to happen because she wasn't real!" He grinned almost evilly- who am I kidding? He's always been 100% evil!

In one swift motion, I flung the small-ish canvas as hard as I could into the trash can and shrugged my jacket on from my chair and also grabbed my small canvas bag, flinging it over my shoulder and storming out of the building.

"Come on, Nami! Can't you take a joke? It's not like you can escape me anyway!" He added with a chuckle. But I didn't stop to even look at him before leaving out of sight completely.

Vanitas just sighed deeply and stared at the closed doors and smiled.

"You'll never escape me, little one."

* * *

**Roxas**

I watched as Namine stormed out of the office and looked to her desk. Why did she seem so angry? Who was she yelling at? Why did she punch a hole in that canvas?

Is there something wrong with her?

I wandered over to her desk cautiously; brushing my arm against her chair I heard a faint noise. Like… Like a distant scream of pain. I raised a brow at the empty space and looked into the trash can where she tossed her canvas.

Pulling it out and looking it over, I folded the torn pieces together to get a better look of the discontinued work in progress and frowned.

There was nothing wrong with it at all.

I mean- aside from the big, gaping hole of course. Just a couple smears of blue and empty, white canvas- nothing else. I raised a brow at it and frowned. Jerking my eyes to the chair and dropping the canvas back in the trash, I sighed heavily.

"I'm falling into some deep shit now."

* * *

**Namine**

I leaned against the door I'd slammed shut just seconds before, a breathing heavily.

It felt like I'd just run a marathon for crying out loud, maybe being shaken up by supposed "magic" paintings takes a lot out of you. I gritted my teeth at the thought of showing Vanitas weakness… again.

"Damn it…" I muttered, shrugging off my jacket and hanging it over a hook and throwing my bag on the sofa as I wandered about the house.

"That was quite a little show back there. A bit excessive though, eh Nami?"

My eyes widened and darted to the death lounging on the couch oh so coolly. I fought back the jolt of fear and glared at him. Vanitas merely raised his hands in a pacifying manner.

"Whoa, whoa! Don't firing daggers at me, little one!" He laughed.

"Don't you FUCKING call me that!" He barely managed to dodge a flurry of exacto knives now embedded in the couch. "Not after that's what you called that- that _thing_! That monster!"

Everything flew by in a blur and suddenly I found myself pinned to the wall by my vanitas, he'd never looked so furious before. At least not in a long time.

"Now hold it right there, _little one_," He now used the name in a taunting form and I fought back a growl. "That _thing_ you speak of is one of my own creations, one of my children if you will. And no one ever," He pointed his hand like a gun to my temple and pulled his thumb down. "Calls one of my children a monster."

Dark tendrils seeped through his fingernails like black sand. A burning sensation spread throughout my body like a wildfire as the darkness snuck through my ears, throat and even past my eyes.

There was no one here to stop my screams of pain and fear.

* * *

Darkness.

That's all there was. More and more darkness.

Not like that of blinding pain and death, more like the kind you see when you turn the lights off or shut your eyes.

Something else started to fall into this world of darkness; they were… sounds, and smells. Feelings.

There was a consistent beeping in the distance… It felt so far away, almost unreachable. And that stench! Like medicine. Disgusting.

Just the effort required to pry my eyes open was exhausting me. Finally I managed to crack them open enough to see the world around me but was immediately blinded by the white light that assaulted my vision. The beeping sounded much closer and I blinked my eyes more rapidly to get used to the brightness.

"What…?" My throat hurt so badly, my voice was hoarse and sounded muffled slightly. Was Vanitas covering my mouth so I wouldn't scream again? My breathing quickened as did the slightly distant beeping.

Suddenly there were several figures dancing about in the room, all wearing a white almost as blinding as the walls and shouting garbled up words frantically.

"What's happening? Doctor, get over here! Please!"

"Her heart rate is skyrocketing! Miss, please leave, now!"

"Namine!"

"Get her some sedatives! The calmer she is the better!"

"Yes sir!"

What's going on… Where am I? I was at home, but now… Is this a hospital?

I never got a chance to ask these dancing figures as painful twinge of fluid rushing into my arm steadily began to make me drowsier by the second. I lacked the energy to fight back to stay awake and the safe darkness overcame me once more.

* * *

**Are sedatives what they use? I hope so...Cause I don't wanna have to be told to fix it and then not do it later haha.**

**REVIEW BEFORE YOU FAVE/FOLLOW!**

**Anyway, hope you liked it..lemme know what you think OR I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN**

**Meh, see you next time.**


	4. I can't fit the whole chapter title

**It's probably depressing how easy this chapter was to write... Eh, idk.**

**My longest chapter yet for this story, I hope you enjoy.**

**A.M.A: against medical advice**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Hope Just Bitchslapped Me And Dreams Ran Away**

What happened to me?

There was that consistent beeping again. It was once again one of the first things to register in my mind as I came to.

My previous trip to the conscious world was a blurred mass of voices and feelings. There was yelling everywhere, one of them sounded like they didn't belong… Like they weren't even in the same dimension somehow. I was scared and the beeping persisted on. There was a dull pain and numbness and then… Nothing. That was it.

I forced my eyes to half-open, this time being prepared for the assault of white light and finally I managed to open my eyes fully but exhaustingly and gazed at my surroundings drowsily. I didn't know why I was so tired, I just woke up again!

The room consisted of a closed off window and door, though by the door was another window showing a hallway just outside teaming with dozens of people journeying to and fro. There was a small TV in the top corner of the room and there was a chair and small table next to the bed.

I raised a brow and still felt the strange pressure around my mouth from before and raised my arm to investigate. My eyes widened when I noticed a small tube going into my wrist and leading to something beside me. Slowly turning my head, I found that I'd been connected to an IV and a heart monitor. I raised my hand and felt to find some sort of mask around my mouth; I gasped slightly but found my voice to be not only hoarse- but muffled.

I was in a hospital room.

What the hell happened to me…?

And where was Vanitas?

What did he do to me to end up in a hospital? How did I get here? How long have I been out?

My head was swimming with questions, I clutched my head in my hands a groaned slightly when I felt a headache coming on. The beeping from the heart monitor seemed to steadily quicken as well and as if on cue, a doctor rushed inside, his lab coat flowing behind him over his blue scrubs. He brightened upon seeing me up and set down the clipboard in his hands on my bedside.

"Miss Forgrove! Good to see you awake; you gave us quite a scare. How do you feel?" My head was spinning as his words all came and went to fast I barely had time to process what he was saying.

"W-What happened to me…?" I groaned hoarsely. He frowned and pulled his glasses from his eyes and seemed to unconsciously rub them clean with his coat.

"We're not entirely certain at the moment, Miss Forgrove. Your neighbor heard screams from your home and she came in to find you screaming and writhing in pain on the floor like someone was burning you alive," I shuddered in fear as the memory slowly came back to me. Something Vanitas did… It wasn't normal. "Naturally she called 911 immediately and here you are. Miss Forgrove, do you have any idea why this happened to you?"

I knew very well why it happened, but how do you tell a doctor of all people you're being haunted and tortured by personified death that you created like an idiot? You just can't, that's how.

"I'm not sure, Doctor," I cleared my throat to rid myself of the hoarseness. He pulled off my mask saying it was unnecessary and gave me a glass of water which I took gratefully. "Thank you for taking care of me. But I need to get back to my work now." He raised a brow at my request to get out like it was crazy.

"But Miss Forgrove, we still don't know what happened, or if it left any lasting effects. I highly recommend at least staying one more day."

"Then I'll just have to leave A.M.A. Please sir, I'm alright." He frowned at me disapprovingly, but that didn't stop my consistently determined stare telling him to get me out of here. After a few more moments he finally sighed heavily and wrote some things on his clipboard and carefully removed the IV from my arm and placed a small bandage over the puncture mark.

"Very well, I'll discharge you. Though I insist you drink fluids frequently and get ore rest whenever possible," He said as he removed the stickers on my chest connecting me to the heart monitor and helped me out of bed, supporting me when I was somewhat wobbly at first. "Your neighbor left this change of clothes for you as well." He opened a small cabinet and pulled out a folded bundle of clothes.

"Thank you."

* * *

While most people would find leaving a hospital A.M.A a bit crazy, but considering my situation I'm sure everything will just go back to normal like every other time Vanitas went out of control.

I swung by my home and took a quick shower and gathering my things for work. Luckily I'd woken up with a little time before it started. Though I was still getting small dizzy spells here and there, I knew if I left myself vulnerable for too long like that Vanitas would take another chance at making my life more miserable.

I checked my phone to find a few missed calls and texts- just from a couple concerned coworkers and my parents- and to find that 3 days had passed since my little incident here at home. I sighed heavily and typed up some replies to people and called my parents back saying that I was okay, that I was just overworking myself and passed out. They seemed to buy what I was selling and let me go.

And with that I was out the door once more.

* * *

"Namine! You're back!"

I smiled at Pence who still had a look on his face that was a mixture of shock and relief. A few other coworkers made their way over to me as well.

"Hey Namine! You're doing better already?"

"Are you alright?"

"Shouldn't you take one more day to rest or something?"

They were all getting so close and asking so much I was beginning to feel claustrophobic. I sighed lightly and smiled.

"Yes. I'm alright now, everything's fine. I just need to take it easy is all." Everyone seemed to buy it and moved on back to their work. Pence said something about going out to get some photos and he was gone as well.

I sighed to myself and pulled my paints out along with an empty cup. I strode over to the other hallway to fill the cup with water and get some paper and a canvas. Though I couldn't help but shudder at the memory of the last time I used a canvas here…

I absentmindedly set my things aside and turned out on the sink to fill the cup while looking for some paper towels and grabbed a canvas out of the cabinet. I blinked in confusion when I heard the water abruptly come to a stop.

"You're back."

I dropped the canvas to the floor and yelped at the voice, turning quickly to find it was Roxas eyeing me suspiciously. I breathed a sigh of relief and held a hand over my rapidly beating heart thumping against my chest.

"Oh, Roxas. Don't scare me like that." I gasped and grabbed my cup out of the sink and set it aside. I raised a brow when I got nothing but silence from the boy and glanced at him.

He was staring at me like I'd just commit a crime or came back from the dead. "What?" I asked uncertainly. He frowned at me.

"Should you really be back here already?" he asked.

I frowned at him in turn. "Well as happy as I'm sure you'd be to have me out of her for a bit longer, I have work to do." I felt a chill go down my spine when his expression didn't change in the slightest.

"Roxas, I'm okay, really," I went to where I dropped my canvas and he strode not far behind me. "I never pictured you as the worrywart."

If he responded to me, I didn't catch it, for as soon as I'd bent down grab my canvas a dizzy spell felt it necessary to take control which resulted in me sloppily standing back up and stumbling about over nothing. I was vaguely aware of my knees beginning to shake and threatening to buckle underneath me but I fought it back as best I could.

I could hear Roxas' muffled voice behind me, but he was soon blocked out by a shrill scream echoing loudly throughout my head, no doubt courtesy of Vanitas. I clutched my head in my hands and gritted my teeth and finally felt my knees give out beneath me.

In mere moments the screams in my head were subsiding as I felt myself get caught by warm arms from behind me, holding me as steady as they could. There was a distant cry of pain from Vanitas in the depths of my mind.

"Namine!"

It was Roxas. He was the one who caught me. His yelling was like daggers in my head and I held up a shaky hand in protest.

"Please… Stop yelling Roxas…" I groaned, steadily becoming able to regain my footing but still unfortunately requiring his help to not fall over.

"Still think you're okay?" He pointed, frowning at me but with clear concern etched into his bright blue irises. He continued to hold onto me tightly as if I'd keel over if his grip slipped even a little.

"I… I'm fine, I-I just need to sit down, that's all." I said, though I'm sure the way I probably looked right now was a dead giveaway that I was definitely _not_ okay.

"I call bullshit," If the situation were different I would've laughed at that statement. "I'm taking you home, Namine."

I didn't even have time to protest before he dragged me forcefully but somewhat carefully to the door.

"B-But my supplies-"

"They'll be at your desk tomorrow again. I'll take care of it." He said, not allowing me my two cents.

If I had the energy of the balance necessary, I should've shoved the blonde off me in seconds and told him to mind his own business. But obviously that wouldn't be happening for a while.

* * *

"You feeling any better?"

"Yes. You can go now, Roxas."

"Nope, I know you're lying to me."

"Then why'd you bother asking?"

Roxas just shrugged from his seemingly comfortable spot beside me on my couch. He'd said before if I didn't tell him how to get to my home then he'd just drag me to his or just leave me in the middle of nowhere, and there was no way in hell I'd go to his house. Who knows what Vanitas would do…

I shuddered at the thought and the blonde beside me raised a brow.

"Are you cold?" He made to grab a blanket but I shot him a glare cold enough to freeze him in his movements. "What?"

"Why are you doing this? Why are you suddenly trying to be chummy with me and not leaving me alone?" He frowned and crossed his arms as if guarding himself and kept his gaze away from me.

"Because I happened to be there when you almost fell to the ground. Is that suddenly a bad thing?" The tone in his voice was like that of trying to get me to back off and stop asking questions. Despite his warning, I pressed on as usual.

"I know that's not the whole answer Roxas. You either tell me now, or get out." I growled at the blonde under my breath. I hadn't meant to sound so angry, but the less time Roxas was here, the less Vanitas would rip me a new one.

He blinked before standing up and sighing heavily, striding absentmindedly about the room. My cerulean eyes followed his jagged trail when he finally stopped.

"Because… You're a _problem_ for me."

"_Excuse me_? What the hell did I do?!" I stood from the couch in a flash and spots immediately blurred my vision, so I held onto the furniture for support. He now turned to face me, his face contorted with so many emotions I couldn't read.

"Ever since I met you, things have been… off. Every time I even come close to you things happen that… That I can't explain."

My eyes widened. Has Vanitas been messing with Roxas now too? But why?

"If I'm such a problem for you then why do you keep coming back?! Why bother associating yourself with me if it means getting warnings and screams in your ears?!" He raised a brow at me and I'd realized my mistake.

"I never said anything about the warnings and screams," He strode closer to me cautiously but… With a hint of danger. I felt myself backing away from the couch and toward the wall. "So you're being haunted too?" I bit my lip and kept my head downcast. He growled and pinned me against the wall.

Talk about deja-vu.

"Do you know what this is? You do don't you?!" If looks could kill… "What did you do to me?! What is this… This thing?! Tell me how to get rid of it!"

I felt nothing but fear and regret overwhelming me at his words. This was my fault, I knew it. Maybe if I'd just avoided the park on that faithful day, then…

No. Nothing could've stopped this from happening. I just didn't know why it was. Vanitas made Roxas seem like he was a hindrance to his very existence. Whenever we came into contact with other, the living death seemed to be… Actually dying. So he was trying to make Roxas pay.

And there was nothing I could do about it.

"Roxas, I… I can't. If I say anything… Out of line, I don't know what he…" Roxas blinked and then frowned.

"'He'?" This is an actual person? Who's doing this, Namine? We could get him to stop and then-"

"No Roxas. We can't 'get him to do' anything. He'll never stop!" I felt tears streaming down my cheeks. Why was I crying? Perhaps it was that I'd never been able to speak to anyone about this since it began. Ever since I created that damned painting…

Wait.

Roxas blinked at my now curious expression. "Namine…?"

"You hear him too, so then maybe…," I muttered, pacing about the room and stopped when I came close to the covered painting in the corner. I turned back to Roxas. "Then you'd know why we have to do this."

I yanked away the cover, revealing the cause of this entire fiasco.

The vanitas my dead client had requested a year ago.

Roxas' face was that of extreme confusion. "Namine, it's a great painting and all- but what does this have to do with anything?" I grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him toward the dead work.

"Roxas, this is the cause of everything. If we can get rid of it, then it'd all be over! No more nightmares, no more screams or cuts or monsters, you wouldn't hear him, there'd be no more pain! Don't you understand?"

I could finally be rid of all these torturous nights and pain. There was finally someone who'd agree with me on getting rid of this monstrosity for good. I wouldn't have to fear my own mind anymore.

"Namine, it's a painting," I heart sank when he now had an uncertain look in his eye. "Maybe I'm just overworking myself." He scratched his head but I turned him to face my fear-induced expression.

"No, Roxas. Please! He's real. He's been real for a year! My vanitas came to life and he's done nothing but haunt me ever since. He'll disappear if we just get rid of this painting! Burn it, punch it, tear it to pieces! Vanitas won't let me get rid of it, I need you to!" He did nothing but frown at me and I feared the worst. "Roxas, please… Kill my vanitas. I beg of you."

"Namine… How long have you been able to see things like this? Has anyone else been able to?" he asked cautiously, tears were brimming my eyes.

"For as long as I can remember. And no, no one can but me. I don't know why… Roxas please, you don't understand. He's evil, I have to kill him. But I need your help to do it."

He wasn't listening to me anymore, I could tell. I felt my excitement and distress slowly dissipating into nothing but a blank cloud that Vanitas seemed to enjoy. At first he'd seemed so keen on ending us right then and there, but it was like he was enjoying himself now.

I looked up at Roxas with the little bit of hope I had left in me. He bit his lip and continued. "Namine…" He paused.

"Are you sure you're not just a paranoid schizophrenic?"

There goes the last of my hopes and dreams. He thought I was nothing but a crazy, hallucinating schizo in need of a mental asylum. I was vaguely aware of the blonde standing beside me and laying a hand on my shoulder in comfort. I heard Vanitas scream in pain but it eventually changed into one of pleasure- he was getting his wish. Roxas wasn't going to save me.

"It's going to be alright, Namine. Just get some help and it'll- _he'll_- go away," He removed his hand and made for the door. "I have to go now; I'll see you at work tomorrow?"

All he got from me was an empty glance and he sighed. "Goodnight, Namine." And with that the door was shut, also shutting me off from the world as before.

"Well, wasn't that fun?" Vanitas smirked from his seat on the couch. He was reading an old newspaper, looking victorious. "Guess you didn't get your wish after all. Did you Nami?"

Tears wouldn't stop streaming down my face. And I didn't bother to fight them either. What was the point? All it would result in was me keeping everything boxed in even more, which I didn't even find possible. It was gone. My last chance at freeing myself from my vanitas had gone as quickly as it came.

"I had a feeling it wouldn't work; but to think he thought you were just mentally insane?" He set aside the newspaper and broke out into laughter. "That's fucking perfect! Best ending I could've ever hoped for!"

My world was crashing down, I felt lost. Like I was in an endless maze with no exit. I felt myself standing up shakily and making my way to my room and slowly laid myself down on my bed like a zombie.

"Hey, Nami! Come on, it's hilarious! Besides, you get to hang onto little old me forever now." He chuckled darkly from the other room and he eventually fell into complete silence.

I let everything out right then and there. I clutched my head in my hands for probably the third time today and buried my face in my pillow, screaming until my throat and lungs ached and my tears soaking the pillow rapidly.

I wasn't sure how long I did this until I fell asleep; I only knew one thing for sure.

I may as well be dead.

* * *

**Plooooooot just bitchslapped you like the chapter title. bam!**

**So, good? Bad?**

**What's gonna happen now? Only I will know, and only you can guess.**

**In case you didn't see at the beginning, A.M.A means Against Medical Advice. I'm not very good at hospital junk in my stories so hopefully I did alright. Please let me know.**

**REVIEW BEFORE YOU FAVE/FOLLOW. I swear half of you are doing the opposite just to bug me...**

**please let me know how I did, I'm worried about this chapter being complete shit. just tell me and i'll try better next time.**


	5. Goodbye

**Alright shorter but... I'm spewing plot don't judge me!**

**I don't think I've ever updated something so fast! yay**

**And you'll probably think i'm some sadistic bitch for being happy by the time you're done...agghhhhhhh**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Goodbye**

**Roxas**

No one had seen Namine for days.

Ever since the… Incident at her home, she'd stopped coming to work. I felt awful about it, knowing it was mostly- if not all- my fault. She'd acted like whatever thing had been seemingly infecting her mental state was a real human being that no one else could see but her.

I'd called her out on being a paranoid schizophrenic, after that, she just seemed to… well, break down. She really believed that her vanitas had come to life to torture her and anyone who gets to close… a.k.a me.

I knew I'd heard voices, felt pain… But I didn't want to believe it; it was just too crazy to be real. So I'd nearly passed it off as stress and some wild nightmare. But deep down…

I knew she was right.

Despite this, I keep hoping that she'll pass it off as nothing but a bad dream, that she was just sick. That if she began to fight it away then everything would go back to normal and neither of us would have to deal with this otherworldly demon.

It's just… There's no way this could all be real. None of it made any sense! How could doing a painting result in a demonic human being that infects their creator's very health and wellbeing? Let alone being able to affect others around them?

I sighed heavily and ran a hand through my hair. I was getting way too deep into this.

Why do I persist in making contact with this crazy bitch if all she's done is insult me, infect my mind with this crazy demon-thing, yell at me and slowly drive me to insanity over this whole fiasco? Why can I never stop thinking about her? Is it the mystery surrounding her that drew me in? No… She was just like any other stranger when I met her at the park. But at that first touch… I felt something.

Not just the distant scream of pain coming from her supposed demon, it was like something completely different. An entity in and of itself.

"Why can't I get her out of my head…" I groaned and spread the blended assortment of blue and green paints across my canvas absentmindedly.

"Thinking about Namine again?"

I turned an annoyed expression to the voice behind me and sighed again.

"Leave me alone Hayner."

Said annoyance just smirked and swung an arm around my shoulders and laughed. "Come on, Roxas. You never stop talking about her; even I can tell someone's got the hots for somebody."

"'Got the hots'? I haven't heard that phrase in a while." I rolled my eyes and went back to my work.

Hayner just sighed and crossed his arms. "I can use whatever phrase I want. Anyway," he started again, leaning on the edge of my desk. "Why don't you go see her? I'm sure she'd feel a lot better getting a visit from you." The blonde snickered and I threw a small pencil at him and it bounced off his chest.

"Just trust me when I say she wouldn't want to see me of all people." I glanced at the floor before continuing my painting.

I could feel Hayner's frown steadily forming behind me. "Rox, come on. Just give it a shot. At least you'd have an excuse by bringing her supplies back to her. They're still just lying at her desk where you left them when you brought her home last time."

I paused for a moment before setting my brush in the cup of water beside me. It couldn't hurt just to stop by and give her back her supplies. It'd only take a couple minutes and no one had heard a word from her in days. It was starting to get a little… Worrying.

Sighing again for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, I rinsed my brush in the cup and stood from my seat, feeling Hayner's gaze burning holes through my body.

I ignored the blonde's stare to the best of my ability and strode over to Namine's desk slowly, as if expecting her demon to come out of her desk space and attack me. I picked up the large bag and slung it over my shoulder and out the door I went.

"Good luck Roxas!"

Just one little visit couldn't hurt… Right?

* * *

**Namine**

It was all over.

I couldn't take anything else Vanitas threw at me. He was finally getting his wish. He had a new little puppet for him to play with and toss aside whenever he got bored.

His golden-eyed gaze danced over my battered and bruised body with amusement as he delivered another kick to my torso. Tears of pain were falling to the floor as I felt myself wheezing at the impact. Maybe he thought if he'd kick me down enough times I'd become one of his _children_ or something. Who could tell?

All I knew was that I no longer cared.

My last chance of escaping this hellhole fleeted away days ago. And with that… I'd lost all hope.

"Come on, little Nami. The least you could do is beg for me to stop. Beating you senseless can only be so enjoyable without any objections." Vanitas smirked and cupped his hand underneath my chin and lifted my head up to look at him.

I could do nothing but let out a shaky breath of pain and attempt a glare at the living death before me. Somehow his smirk seemed to widen and he dropped my head back to the floor roughly.

"You used to have so much fight in you. Where'd all that go? Everything was so much more fun that way," He had a curious look on his face as something apparently dawned on him. "What if I got that Blondie you seemed to care so much about involved?"

"No!" I shot up from the ground in an instant, somehow managing to ignore the extreme nausea and dizzy spell threatening to overpower me. It was as if a gallon of caffeine and adrenaline was thrust into my body. The several cuts and bruises littering my small frame were easily forgotten.

Vanitas' eyebrows shot up in amusement. "Ah, struck a nerve, did I? Maybe I should just… Pay a little visit to Roxas while you're down for the count," He pulled out a small knife from his pocket with a sadistic smile on his face. "Maybe give him a haircut, a couple tattoos… Oh I'm sure the color red will look very dashing on your little boyfriend."

In a blur I managed to stand from the ground and deliver the last ounces of strength I had into a punch to his smug face. My legs shook violently while I held my now aching wrist with a fierce expression I didn't know I could manage. The joy on Vanitas' face was instantly replaced with fury and he sent his own, much stronger fist, directly to my gut. He really did enjoy hitting that area, I wonder why.

"Don't you EVER try to strike me down! Nothing will stop me!" He forced me back to my feet by gripping handfuls of cloth from my sweater while I gripped my stomach in pain. "As long as you live and breathe, I'll always be here." He chuckled.

I blinked for a moment, an idea suddenly coming to my mind as he dropped me to the ground with a bark of laughter. My breath hitched for a moment and looked at a small box a few feet away from me.

"So… A-As long as I'm h-h-here, you w-will be too?" I coughed, mostly just talking to myself. Vanitas raised a brow at me in confusion but seemed to fight back the feeling as if hoping it wouldn't show.

"That's right. I'll always be here," I swallowed a bark of laughter rising in my throat and pulled myself to the box across the floor. "Trying to escape me, Nami? That certainly won't work." He chuckled.

I sat myself up and drew one of my exacto knives now held tightly in my hand. I shot an angry look in my eye and an empty smirk at the death now looking at me with such… Shock.

"What would happen… If I were end me?" His mouth hung agape and I instantly knew the answer. "Would it end you too?" I cocked my head to the side and glanced at the knife in my hand and held it against my wrist.

"Namine, DON'T YOU DARE-" He charged at me with his hand outstretched, but I'd never let him reach me.

"Goodbye, you bastard."

And with that I dug the knife in and slid it across my wrist. The last I saw were blooming bursts of red oozing from my body as I slit the other wrist as well.

* * *

**Roxas**

"Namine? Namine, are you there?" I wasn't sure how many times I'd knocked on her door.

"Maybe she left it unlocked…?" The very idea was ridiculous, but I was shocked to find that it was indeed true. The knob turned fairly easily and I watched as it slowly creaked open.

My eyes widened when I noticed someone standing in the doorway now. He looked really… Angry.

His hair was jet black and stuck out in any and all directions possible. And his eyes were almost like that of a cat's- golden and penetrating.

"W-Who are you…?" I frowned when he grinned for some odd reason.

"Ah, so you can see me now, huh? Interesting," His voice sounded so familiar, but I couldn't place his face with a memory to match it at all. "I guess the creation of a dying artist gets more attention after all." He chuckled darkly and I shivered.

"'Dying artist'…? Wait your voice, you…," My breath hitched and I instantly backed away in fear. "You're the voice in my head! You're the one Namine was talking about! You're…"

"Come on, spit it out already." He rested his hands on his hips impatiently. I noticed then that he seemed to be pixelating… Fading.

"You're the vanitas."

His smile was sickening as he clapped his hands together like I'd just won the grand prize in an award show. "And we have a winner! Congrats! And your prize is…," He swept his hands in a gesture to something in the other room. "The wilting flower in the blood."

"What…?" Horror overwhelmed my entire being and I stormed inside past the vanitas and into the house. My eyes widened at the sight.

Namine lay in a crumpled heap on the floor, surrounded by a massive puddle of blood still seeping from her wrists. That might've been the only good sign; it meant she'd only done this in the last few minutes… She was still alive! Her hair was matted to her forehead with blood dying the blonde wisps of hair the same color. She was covered in other cuts and bruises as well.

"Namine!" I screamed, tossing aside her supplies and scooped the blonde up in my arms. "Namine, stay with me! I'll get you some help!"

By now some of her neighbors had wandered out of their homes to see what was going on. I heard some of them gasping and screaming in fear. I jerked my head in their direction for a moment.

"Someone call 911! Please, she needs help!" I turned my attention back to Namine when I heard a light gasp from her trembling mouth. "Namine!"

"R-Roxas…?" She croaked. Drops of water fell on her face, only half-washing away some of the blood stuck to her face. It took me a second to realize those were my tears.

"Namine, don't try to talk. We'll get you some help, okay? You just have to stay awake. Stay awake Namine! Please!" I cried. She only smiled faintly at me.

"But R-R-Roxas… H-He's going a-a-away. I-I'm free." She looked so tired… No.

"Namine, stop it! Don't you give up on me now! I believe you, I know he's real! I'm sorry Namine! I should've listened… If I did then… Then this wouldn't have had to happen." I could feel my arms shaking violently against her blood-caked back. She let out a small breath and shook her head slowly.

"N-No Roxas… I-I-It's okay. I… I think I…" Her eyes fluttered closed and I feared the worst.

"Namine?" No response. "Namine! Please, don't go! Don't go…" I heard sirens outside and I dreaded that it was already too late. I held Namine's cooling body against my warm, trembling one.

"I'm so sorry…"

* * *

**I'm so fucking evil, don't you gus just hate me now? lol**

**Right when the romantic interest starts to show- bam!**

**Alright I'm sorry, I'll update again as soon as I can, I've had a ton of homework lately *cough* fuckin art projects *cough***

**REVIEW BEFORE YOU FAVE/FOLLOW, bye**


	6. Death's Passing

**Alright! So I wrote almost all of this in one go.**

**I'm sorry if it's not very good but I felt like if I didn't do it right then and there then I'd never be able to do it!**

**Hope you enjoy**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Death's Passing**

**Roxas**

"You're a monster."

"Excuse me? You wouldn't believe the brat just so you could think you weren't crazy and _I'm_ the monster? Come back to me when you make some sense."

Namine lived… Barely. She was in a coma from losing so much blood, on top of other things that were already wrong. That vanitas of hers had caused so much damage she was considered physically unstable at this point. A couple fractures, semi-deep gashes and bruises littering her now paler skin, and lack of proper rest and nutrients for who-knows-how-long. She'd done enough of each to not keel over right then and there, but Vanitas had made it difficult for her.

You'd think for someone who depends on their host for survival would be a bit less… Brutal.

He was still fading in and out of existence, every time I'd so much as touch Namine he'd flicker and later pixelate back to life in seconds, looking very angry.

I tried to only blame Vanitas for all that was happening, but… I knew this was my fault. If I could've just stopped being selfish for five minutes, this would've ended much differently. We could've gotten rid of the vanitas and he'd be long gone, then we could live happily ever after.

I felt my cheeks heat up slightly at the thought of a 'happy ever after' with Namine. Sure I'd just realized I have a little crush on her and her mystery- which is just crazy- but it's a little early to be thinking up scenarios like that.

I sat from my usual spot next to Namine's hospital bed and stroked her hand lightly. The sleeping blonde's breathing seemed to become calmer somehow underneath all those masks, wires and tubes and I smiled sadly. She looked so small now, like a tiny dab of yellowish paint in the middle of a huge canvas and named art because it was so "unique".

Or… Maybe it wasn't just her mystery I'd fallen for.

It took a little while to realize it wasn't just her being the bratty cliché when new guys like me come around, but it was just her being strong for herself… When no one else could or would. She had to fight back the vanitas slowly bringing down her spirit, so she did. Independence is always a respectable trait.

And the paintings she did finish always turned out beautifully. It was as if she were looking at exactly what she did, and that's masterful in and of itself.

But then, something about her… It seemed to draw me in right from the start. Even when I'd first met her at the park and acted like a jerk right from the get-go. I wasn't even sure why I did that, felt feelings rising and tried to fight them off? It's a possibility…

When she's not pale as ghost and accompanied by wires and tubes, she's actually really cute.

Hell, who am I kidding? Even right now I feel like pulling that mask off her face and kissing her, apologizing over and over…

Her platinum blonde hair seemed to glow in the sunlight, as well as her porcelain skin. Like diamonds or the glare from a reflection of sunlight. It was eerie, but alluring, like a fish to a hook, she caught me without even realizing it. And apparently the same went for me as well.

And the way her hair seemed to curl into a hug around her cheeks and make her deep, violet eyes pop out even more was distracting. Even with those tired bags under her eyes, I couldn't help myself.

I groaned and shook my head furiously. What's wrong with me? I sound like a stupid love struck teenager who thinks he can score with just a few pretty words and a wink.

"This is getting out of hand…" I sighed and ran a hand through my blonde spikes.

"No shit Sherlock," Vanitas growled from behind me and folded his arms behind his head. "And I thought Nami had weird thoughts. You two were made for each other."

"Why're you even here? In my head of all places. I thought you hated me." I shot a glare at the walking death and he just chuckled darkly.

"I do, you were making me fade," I raised a brow at him but he didn't seem to notice. "If you hadn't even shown your face to my toy, everything would still be fine!"

Vanitas' anger seemed to be able to affect our world somehow, for as he screamed and yelled, the equipment in the room changed as if someone had thrown a giant boulder at them.

The heart monitor flickered off for a moment and Namine's heartbeat was evidently quickening for her oxygen machine had sparks shooting out for a second as well. I panicked and stood warningly to Vanitas.

"Hey calm down already!" I growled. Vanitas didn't seem to care.

"Oh no you don't you blonde bastard! You started all of this! Everything is on your hands! Not mine! You just had to be her Other, didn't you?! You just couldn't wait around a couple more years or better yet- never! You shouldn't even be here you son of a bitch!"

He lunged at me in a fit of rage but I managed to dodge him at the last second, keeping my hands balled into fists in case this got a little too excessive.

"What hell are you talking about?! What's an Other? Why am I hers? What do you mean?!" He lunged at me again but I was ready this time. I pulled my fist back and delivered a hard punch to his face and he fell to the floor. "Now calm the fuck down before you really kill her! I thought you didn't want to fade, so stop endangering her already!"

After a few moments of endless growls and punches to the ground and walls, Vanitas finally calmed down enough for the machines keeping Namine in check to stop going haywire.

"I was warned about you coming along. I was warned," He glanced at Namine and frowned. "About her Other."

I sighed and crossed my arms. "Who warned you? What's an Other? And what makes you think I'm her Other?" I gestured to the blonde and he growled at me. I gave him a warning gesture with my fist to make sure he didn't lose his cool again.

"An Other is like a soul mate. Two sides of the same coin. And I guess the one who warned me…," He paused and looked at the ceiling. "Was my God."

He really doesn't plan on making this easy, does he?

"Care to explain that one too?" I inwardly groaned at how complicated this was getting. He glared at me and sat as far away from me as possible like I was some disease… Which I guess was true in his case.

"When that little blonde brat created me, I heard a voice telling me something before I came into this world," His golden eyes seemed to dim as he narrowed them in concentration. "It said, 'When your creator meets her Other, their bond will become your end.'"

"So when we touched for the first time and I heard that scream…" I trailed off, the pieces slowly coming together in my head. Vanitas glanced at me and nodded.

"That's right. I knew you were the 'Other' I was warned about."

He folded his arms behind his head and glared at me again. Though this glare nearly froze me in place, so much hate…

"This is all your fault. But no matter," He sighed and nestled comfortably in his seat. "Once my little Nami wakes up again I'll hop into her head again and kill you. Then this'll all be over." He chuckled darkly and I frowned.

"Hang on… You have to wait until she wakes up again?" He raised a brow at me and paused.

"Yeah. If I try to kill you now while I'm in you, I'll just fade like with her when she almost died," He gestured to Namine as he spoke. And he smirked at me. "It's just a matter of time, Roxy."

I growled under my breath. What was with this guy and these weird nicknames? I crossed my arms and stared at the floor as if it would hold all this answers for me. He has to wait until Namine wakes up, that gives me some time… She is in a coma after all. If the vanitas can't kill me now, how can I get rid of him in time? Something clicked in my head and I blinked.

I just answered my own question.

In a blur I'd stood from the chair and made my way to the door. Vanitas watched me with confusion.

"Where the hell are you going?" He seemed to flinch at the determined and angry glance I shot at him.

"Doing something I should've done a while ago."

* * *

I stormed into Namine's home; disturbingly the blood stain was still evident on the floor. That'll take a while to get out. But right now that was the least of my worries. I went into the next room and spotted exactly what I was looking for in the corner.

I steadily made my way over to it, then Vanitas appeared in the room beside me looking annoyed. "Back off Roxy. What do you think you're doing here?" He followed my gaze and his eyes widened. "NO!"

"You can't stop me Vanitas! No matter what you do!" I threw the cover off the canvas, revealing the real vanitas that Namine had painted a year ago.

I reached for it but was pulled back by a nearly unheard of force of strength. "I'm not letting you kill me! Never!" Vanitas screamed. His voice was dripping with anger and hate… But with a hint of fear.

I glanced behind me and saw a strange, dark mass emanating from his very being. I fought back a scream rising at the sight of horrifying dark and almost human-like creatures steadily pouring out of the darkness and screeching eerily and inching toward me.

"You said so yourself, Vanitas! I'm her Other! This was bound to end eventually!" I hoped my words could distract him enough for me to move closer to the painting.

So far it wasn't working.

"I can fight it! I can kill you any time I want Roxas!" He yelled and conjured up small blades and sent them flying towards me.

I couldn't help but let out a scream of pain as they sliced through my clothes and some embedded themselves in my skin. Some just barely missed me, leaving small cuts on my arms and legs, while one lodged itself in my shoulder and one deep into my calf.

I could already feel the heat of blood rushing down my leg and back under my clothes. But I tried my best to not let it hinder my progress in the least.

"You and your little beasts won't keep me away Vanitas! You're a monster!" I felt the edge of the canvas and I inwardly grinned. "Nothing but a figment! You're NOTHING!"

I knew I pissed him off now. I felt the darkness restraining me lessen for a moment and took the opportunity to glance back at him.

I bet he was praying that looks could kill. He was shooting me the most frightening glare I'd ever seen. His golden eyes shone with such hate and contempt. He reared back with his hands clenched into fists so tight his knuckles looked as if they would burst.

"I… am not… NOTHING!" he lunged at me with every bit of force he had. But I was prepared this time. I swung the canvas that was in my grip in front of me and his eyes widened in sudden fear.

"No…"

His whole body was sent through the canvas, tearing it apart from the middle and so on. The paper that held the painting was ripped art like an explosion took place inside of it. He screamed in pain and fell on me as the canvas flew out of my hands.

"NO!" He glared at me with those hateful and pained golden eyes, his body already flickering in and out of existence. He sloppily sat up, his lower half still on top of me as I looked up at him, smirking.

"Every monster must be slain, Vani…" I breathed and he growled at the nickname I'd given him. His pixelating, bloody hands clenched into fists once more and he pulled them back, ready to punch my lights out.

"You bastard!" He swung his fists down on my body one at a time. I didn't bother stopping him; I was too drained, besides… He'd fade away soon enough.

Swing after swing, punch after punch… he was beginning to slow down, either that or he had faded to the point that his fists were going right through my battered body. I blinked painfully at the dying… well, death, before me.

"You bastard… You killed me… Bastard." He'd been repeating the same words the entire time and wasn't showing any sign of stopping. As the minutes dragged on, it was as if he was sustaining wounds just from being here.

Gashes and bruises littered his pale, pixelated body. Burning tears of blood streamed down his cheeks and fading into nothing when they dripped off onto my own body.

I watched as his glare seemed to finally soften into nothing, nothing but… Something I couldn't comprehend.

Jealousy.

"You're lucky," His voice cracked painfully. "People see you all the time. You're not in the darkness. You're human…" He muttered and my eyes widened.

"Vanitas…," I rasped, the fading death glanced at me and I sat up, my body now going through his like air. "Did you just want to be human?"

He laughed humorlessly and frowned. "Maybe. Maybe not. You humans are curious things. Always creating something rather than killing it all. You feel. Maybe…," He held up his hand and his breath hitched as it faded away completely, along with his legs and arms as well. "Maybe I just wanted to be real."

He smiled. A genuine smile. Not one filled with anger or hate, who'd have thought Death was capable of smiling like that.

"Whatever. Not like anything will change now," I couldn't find myself able to speak at this point and he just chuckled at me as his torso faded as well. "See you around, Roxy."

And with that he was gone. No more golden eyes or black hair sticking out in all directions. No more pixels and darkness.

"Wha…" I breathed, my wounds were gone! All of them! I glanced beside me to notice the damaged canvas was gone too, and somehow… The blood stain from Namine's incident was completely faded.

If everything that ever happened because of Vanitas was gone, then that means…

"Namine!"

She could be better now! Or at least closer to it. I felt my strength return to me and I rushed to the door leading to the outside world, ready I visit Namine again.

I paused and glanced behind me at the spot where Vanitas died and smiled softly.

"See you around."

* * *

**I'm a bitch. Again, I know.**

**All this time trying to get you to hate vanitas and then feels go down up in here.**

**Sorry, but that's how the cookie crumbles.**

**Now, keep in mind, I have more in mind myself for this story so don't go thinking so fast that this story's already pretty much over, I have brains!I know how to do shit! lol sorry but yeah**

**Hope you emjoyed/FELT SHIT**

**REVIEW BEFORE YOU FAVE/FOLLOW PLEASE**


End file.
